Brad Corbett’s tumultuous six-year run as Rangers owner can be defined by one game.

On July 4, 1977, the Rangers lost, 1-0, to Kansas City at Arlington Stadium. After the game, a tearful Corbett stormed into the Rangers’ clubhouse and loudly proclaimed, “I’m selling this team because it’s killing me. They’re dogs on the field, and they’re dogs off the field.”

Corbett kept the team for nearly three more years. The mercurial owner never changed.

The impulsive Corbett constantly made moves, trading away young talent such as left-hander Dave Righetti and third baseman Bill Madlock for fading veterans. Corbett spent wildly on free-agent busts such as shortstop Bert Campaneris and outfielder Richie Zisk.

The approach never brought Corbett a champion. The Rangers had their first brush with legitimacy during the Corbett era (1974-80) by finishing second three times in the American League West but never reached the postseason.

Corbett, 75, died in his sleep Monday, his daughter Pamela Corbett Murrin told The Associated Press.

Corbett moved from Long Island, N.Y., to Fort Worth in 1968. He quickly parlayed a $300,000 loan from the Small Business Administration into a fortune in the plastic-piping and chemical-tubing businesses.

Corbett realized his dream of owning a major league team by putting together a collection of local investors that purchased the Rangers from Bob Short two days before the 1974 season. The group paid $9.6 million and assumed $1 million in debt.

The brash Corbett took the spotlight. Others held the title, but Corbett served as his own general manager. He reveled in making trades on a whim.

Corbett once famously pulled off a trade during a men’s room conversation with Cleveland executive Gabe Paul. The Rangers in 1978 sent outfielder Bobby Bonds and young right-hander Len Barker to the Indians for infielder Larvell “Sugar Bear” Blanks and right-hander Jim Kern.

The club took on the air of a circus. In 1977, the Rangers employed four managers in a span of eight games. In 1978, Sports Illustrated revealed Corbett consulted his son, Brad Jr., on trades.

Business reversals gradually undermined Corbett’s ownership and affected how he handled the Rangers. The club began to get cash as part of trades. The biggest payoff was $300,000 from San Diego in a 1978 deal that sent popular first baseman Mike Hargrove to the Padres.

Corbett could not stem the financial tide. He sold the club to a group headed by Eddie Chiles, an oil man, in April 1980.

Interesting points during Corbett's tenure

1974

During 10-cent beer night in Cleveland, a melee spills onto the field and the Rangers have to fight their way back to the dugout.

1977

Lenny Randle punches manager Frank Luchessi before a spring training game. Neither makes it through the season, but somehow the Rangers end up with 94 wins despite using four managers over the course of the year.

1978

In perhaps the absolute strangest moment of the club’s first decade in Texas, pitcher Rogelio Moret slips into a catatonic state in the clubhouse before a game, holding a shower slipper in his extended right arm. He is taken to a psychiatric facility and appears in only six more games in his career.

Year-by-year records under Corbett

1974: With fiery Billy Martin in the dugout, feisty Ferguson Jenkins authoring the best pitching season in club history and JEFF BURROUGHS driving in runs, the Rangers survived 10-cent beer night in Cleveland and challenged Oakland into September.

Record 84-76, 2nd AL West.

1975: Fooled by the success of 1974, new owner Brad Corbett added aging veterans and expected to contend. But FERGUSON JENKINS and Jim Bibby couldn't repeat their amazing pitching seasons, and Billy Martin ran his tempestuous course with the team, which ended in a July firing.

Record: 79-83, 3rd AL West.

1976: Given a chance to play every day by manager Frank Lucchesi, TOM GRIEVE responded with 20 HRs and was named Ranger Player of the Year. As the original Ranger became farm director, then GM then broadcaster, it would give way to another title: Mr. Ranger.

Record: 76-86, T4th AL West.

1977: TOBY HARRAH led the AL in walks and led the team in HRs (27). Doyle Alexander won 17 games. The club won a then-franchise record 94 games. The season, however, is remembered for Lenny Randle assaulting manager Frank Lucchesi and for its four different managers.

Record: 94-68, 2nd AL West.

1978: With a reinforced roster and coming off a big year, the Rangers expected to contend, but there were holes in the pitching staff and veterans MIKE HARGROVE and Toby Harrah had off years. It would lead to more changes after the season, including Hargrove's exit.

Record: 87-75, T2nd AL West.

1979: The Rangers wilted in the summer heat, going from two games back at the All-Star break to nine back by September. AL OLIVER put together the second of four consecutive .300 seasons in Texas, batting .323. His .319 average with the Rangers remains the club record.

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